What a Drunk Hermione can Inspire
by HuntressSoul
Summary: When Hermione's heart is broken, what better way to get over it than do something so unlike herself. Slight Dramione. The Houses Competition Standard for round 1.


**Team: Snakes**

**Class: DADA**

**Category: Standard**

**Prompt: ****[Speech] "How is it possible that someone as intelligent as (you/Name) can be so unfathomably dense?"**

**Word Count: 1579**

* * *

She had seen it coming. The late nights, the calls, the slight bruising on his arms and back. It was all there. She should have read the signs for what they were. Listened to her head and not her heart.

How utterly stupid of her.

How could she accept being called the brightest witch of her age when she turned a blind eye to all the facts in front of her and ignored the logic and rational sense that she prided herself on, allowing her emotions to rule over her. She had made an utter fool of herself. They were probably laughing at her right now.

All she wanted to do was to surprise him and so she'd taken a half-day at work and made her way to his office. She should have noticed something was off when she felt all the eyes of his coworkers following her as she made her way towards his office door.

The silence was deafening as she opened the door. She could hear her heart-shattering.

Just as Ron's eyes shot up to her still form from beneath a busty raven-haired woman.

"Mione…" Ron tried but she would have none of it. Without a single word to the cheating scoundrel, she slipped the engagement ring of her finger and let it clatter to the ground as she turned silently on her heel and marched out of the building, her head held high. She would not allow herself to break down, not yet.

Hermione had always been the practical sort. Not one to let temptation sway her decision. She was proud of the person she was. Uncompromising… and yet she had because, in her misguided, rose-tinted views of what love was, she had compromised for Ronald Weasley. Against every atom in her body screaming in protest, Hermione made compromises for him. As disconcerting as it left her she did it because his smile had made her heart flutter, he had become her world. Against her better judgment, she went against who she was.

With her chin tucked into her scarf, Hermione made her way into the dingy pub. She knew this was a bad idea. She couldn't care less, Because even though this was not who she was, she'd compromise just tonight. But not for Ron.

No, not for him. Not anymore.

She would be doing this for her.

Hermione Granger was going to get herself smashed.

For hours she'd downed shot after shot until the bartender had finally taken pity on her in the early hours of the morning and kicked her out.

"You could've at least kicked me out with a bottle!" she slurred.

So here she was, trudging through the frigid heavy rain. Soaked, the bottom of her stockings ripped and torn, heels swinging carelessly in her hand, and drunkenly miserable. Though as drunk as she was, she still had enough sense not to apparate home.

Draco couldn't remember exactly what had driven him out of his home and into this downpour. The frigid rain soothing against his warm skin, the heavenly droplets cooling not only his skin but his boiling temper.

The walk had helped him to cool off and left him feeling refreshed, his foul mood long forgotten. With a smile playing on his lips, the young man readied himself for apparition when something stumbled into him.

"Owie.."

Looking down, the poisonous retort died on his tongue as he gaze fell upon a miserable looking Hermione Granger, sitting in a mud puddle at his feet.

Taking in her appearance, Draco felt a sneer wanting to rip across his features. This was not the Granger he knew and very secretly… admired.

Fisting a handful of mud, she brought it up to gaze at it in wonder as the aristocrat examined her. Her clothing was ruffled and scuffed with dirt; her white pencil skirt would never be white again if the mud under her bottom had anything to say about it, and her stockings were ripped allowing her big toe to stick out. Mascara was running down her face. Lipstick smeared in a childlike manner. And if that were not enough, the stench would be. Even with the heavy rain cleansing the air, the potency of the alcohol escaping her pours was enough to give him a hangover. If they were still in school and if Draco hadn't grown up, he'd probably be smugly hissing scathing comments at her. Heck, he had even thought of a few. Fortune knew how to smile on the golden girl because Draco Malfoy had grown up.

With a sigh, Draco grabbed the drunk women firmly by her forearm.

"Let's get you home, Granger."

Draco suffered through drunken mutterings as he stumbled down the road with the woman to the nearest public floo.

Finally, Draco found himself in his home, with his burden still drunkenly muttering.

"Don't you ever sleep?" he asked her rhetorically as he set her down on his study couch, internally cringing when he realized the incredible amount of muck that would be left behind when she finally vacated from that spot.

She had finally fallen asleep at four in the morning. He knew the Auror department opened at 7 and Potter didn't do tardy. He'd find an unwelcome surprise waiting outside his office.

7:00 am outside the Auror Department Harry felt warning bells going off in his head when he came across Draco Malfoy waiting outside his door.

"Malfoy," Harry greeted guarded. " To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"So, Granger did beat some manners into that thick skull of yours," Draco answered in return, eyes glinting.

"Cut it out Malfoy, what are you here for?" Harry asked heatedly, his quick temper rising.

Sighing, Draco asked for them to speak in private. Hesitantly, giving his assent, Harry led Draco into his office.

"Let me get straight to it: I have a piss-drunk Hermione Granger passed out in my study."

It took a moment for Harry to process the words that had fallen from Malfoy's lips.

"Come again?" Harry asked as he blinked owlishly at Draco.

Gesturing for permission to take a seat, Harry gave the okay and Malfoy began his explanation of how he came across the abnormal scene.

"The Weasley really is a filthy weasel," Draco smirked, sobering quickly he rushed to speak before Potter got the wrong impression. "Granger's quite talkative as a drunk, mind you I didn't understand half of what she was saying but from what I could pick out, the just of it is that Weasley cheated on her."

"Ron would never!" Harry said trying to defend his friend.

"Look, Potter, I honestly don't care what you believe, but one of your best friends is passed out in my home and I would very much like to get it back to myself." Draco cut him off.

"You better not have done anything to her," Harry warned.

"I might be an ass, but even I possess a sliver of honor, Granger is just as I found her, stench and all. Now then, shall we?"

It had been five weeks since that fateful day and Draco and Harry had formed an unlikely alliance all in the name of Hermione Granger. Draco had just exited the Weasleys Shop when he heard it.

"Malfoy!" A feminine voice yelled.

Turning around Draco was greeted by very pink-cheeked, determined Granger.

"What is it, Granger?"

"I wanted to thank you. I know you didn't have to…" Hermione trailed off awkwardly.

"How is it possible that someone as intelligent as you, Granger, can be so unfathomably dense?" He asked in wonder.

"Excuse me?" She asked affronted.

With a shake of his head, Draco leaned down toward her.

"I'm a Slytherin, Hermione, I do things to further my own selfish desires."

"And how would helping me accomplish anything?" She asked with a snort as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You are considered the brightest witch of our age. I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out," Draco replied as he casually strolled past her.

Hermione stood there defiantly, mind whirling. It wasn't long before her mind stopped. He'd called her by her first name. The only conclusion that she'd drawn up because of that had her eyes widening and her stuttering. Frantically, searching out for the mess of silvery blonde hair, she found him to be gone.

Racing down the street Hermione didn't notice the steely grey eyes watching her in amusement from a side alley.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Honestly, I would have been completely helpless if you didn't warn me about this personal mission of hers," Draco answered wryly to the figure that stepped out of the shadows.

"That's not how you say thank you, Malfoy. And you didn't answer my question."

"No, I suppose I did it for her. With the conclusion she undoubtedly came to, she'll be too busy thinking about me to think about the cheating Weasel."

"Helping her and helping yourself. How Slytherin of you."

"I am what I am, Potter." Draco shrugged.

"You'll be good for her," Harry tried. With a snort, Draco looked at Harry in amusement.

"Is that you giving your blessings?" Draco asked.

"Never. On a more immediate concern though, did you find anything?"

"Yes, George had some…interesting ideas and is more than happy to assist."

Walking together side by side the to men made their way back to George's shop. Ron Weasley should have known better to have broken Hermione's heart.


End file.
